THE answer to the Welsh NHS's chronic bed-blocking problems could lie in Sweden, Assembly members were told yesterday.

If adopted in Wales, it could mean councils footing the bill for patient's hospital beds until a care home place is ready.

Derek Wanless, who advised on a report on the NHS which was published in July, told the Assembly's Health and Social Services Committee the Swedish system had proved successful.

Mr Wanless also warned if Welsh waiting times continued to be longer than those in England, there would be a 'flood' of patients moving across the border for treatment.

He described the Swedish system, where local authorities have the responsibility for people leaving hospital and have to pay to keep the patient in hospital if there is no care place.

This was a more expensive option, he said, so the authorities had a financial incentive to provide decent social care.

He said: "I think initially it was an unpopular policy and it caused stresses and strains within the local authorities. They've now been running for 12 years. The result is people leave hospital when medically it's been deemed fit for that to happen."

The structure meant investments had been made in social care, but this had not been done properly in the UK, he added.

Mr Wanless said the system would not necessarily work for Wales, as Sweden had a different attitude to taxation and public expenditure than the UK.

Plaid Cymru AM Jocelyn Davies said the idea of financially punishing local authorities was not one many AMs would be comfortable with.

Mr Wanless also said the issue of patients travelling for treatment in England was one that needed to be addressed.

"What happens if Welsh waiting times are significantly worse than those in England? The move across the border potentially is a flood," he said.